Minnesota Green Light for Exit Polling

In the US, the Governor of Minnesota has signed a bill clearing the way once agaiin for political exit polling.

Previously, Minnesota statute did not allow anyone 'except an election official or an individual who is waiting to register or vote' to approach polling stations.

The new law - H.F. 3108 - promotes genuine research by ensuring that exit pollsters can legally conduct research near voting stations in Minnesota. It adds to the above exception the wording: 'or an individual who is conducting exit polling', and defines exit polling as 'approaching voters in a pre-determined pattern as they leave the polling place after they have voted, and asking voters to fill out an anonymous, written questionnaire'.

The legislation was endorsed by the Marketing Research Association (MRA), whose Director of Government Affairs, Howard Fienberg explains: 'This vital arm of research provides depth into how voters voted and why they made the choices they did. We wholeheartedly appreciate Minnesota's efforts to protect all legitimate exit polling.'

Web site: www.mra-net.org .